TEHRAN – Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Alaeddin Borujerdi said here on Sunday that Newsweek’s recent interview with International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohammad ElBaradei indicates that he is actually diverting from the IAEA’s legal mandate.

By adopting such a stance, ElBaradei could weaken the IAEA and put the neutrality of the organization into question, he added.

Borujerdi went on to say that Iran expects the IAEA to adopt stances within the framework of its technical and scientific mandate and to announce its positions in a neutral and non-politicized manner.

Noting that ElBaradei had praised Iran for its compliance with IAEA regulations in November 2004, the MP stated that the IAEA director general should have also praised Iran during his recent interview because the Islamic Republic has sincerely cooperated with the IAEA and allowed 1400 man-hours of inspections, despite the fact that the Majlis has not even approved the additional protocol to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

However, the Islamic Republic still wants to continue cooperation with the IAEA because it assumes that the IAEA’s position has not changed, said Borujerdi, who is also a member of the Majlis conservative faction. The MP added, “With (his) ten years of experience, we did not expect Mr. ElBaradei to talk in a way that compelled the Newsweek interviewer to ask him whether he is angry or not as the last question.”

ElBaradei is aware of the stances of both the United States and the Islamic Republic, and since Iran is the first member state of the NPT and IAEA to invite all countries and their private sectors to participate in its nuclear activities, including uranium enrichment, the IAEA director general should know that participation is a kind of supervision and the zenith of transparency, Borujerdi opined.

In light of such transparency in nuclear activities, rather than attempt to provoke a reaction, ElBaradei was expected to praise Iran’s measure in order to encourage the Islamic Republic to continue the process, he said in conclusion.